Structures in Hebrew writing are often observed, but rarely explained as to their purpose or meaning.
Similar to diagramming poetry, structured Hebrew writing can be diagrammed.
- A1 Creation of heaven and earth with water (shamim and artz, with mim)
- B1 Light
- C1 Water
- D1 - A2 Earth and plants (mim and artz)
- B2 Light
- C2 Water and fish/birds
- D2 Earth and creatures and man
- A3 Heavens and earth (shamim and artz)
The A3 is the end of the story. However if "v 2:4 is the end of the chapter, there is possible confusion if A1 is matched with A2 as the bookend and A3 is dangling. the bookend is not recognized as a bookend.
Earth and heaven do not speak solely of the earth and the heaven, but also of physical things and spiritual things. Paragraph D1 Speaks of earthly things coming out of spiritual things. Dry land is gathered from the waters under the heavens. One might think that the story goes from A2 to A3 and A1 is left dangling.
To ensure there is no confusion, the author points the the heavens and the earth BEFORE there were plants. He points to A1 with the following:
- A3 Ge 2:4 ¶ These [are] the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
- Ge 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and [there was] not a man to till the ground.
This is the bookend to A1, stated in such a way that there is no confusion with A2 or D1.
The Greek problem.
Because the Greeks break the chapter before v5, they think that v5 is the beginning of Chapter 2, and they have created a contradiction that does not exist. They say that Chapter two contradicts the order of creation stated in Chapter 1. the Greeks read that man was created before the plants and the herbs.
There is no contradiction when the proper 'bookend' is identified.
One Day
- Ge 2:4 ¶ These [are] the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in THE DAY that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
Notice that the seven days are referred to as 'one day'. This is proper because each picture is a picture of Christ which is to be overlaid , like transparencies, on each other so the complete picture of Christ is seen.
The Greeks must argue about days. How can there be days when there is no sun? Is it an age or a literal day?
When a day (yom) is understood to be a vignette or prophetic riddle of Christ, all the arguments disappear.
If we are to draw an ontological conclusion from it, we observe that Ge 1 is an outline of all of human history, and therefore in all of human history, there is only one day. There is only Today.
Though the great theologian Kris Kristopherson correctly observes: "Yesterday is dead and gone and tomorrow's out of sight." The proper response to realizing that there is only Today is :
- Heb 4:7 To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
- Jos 24:15 ¶ ...choose you this day whom ye will serve; ...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.